South Korean singer Taeil has departed from the K-pop group NCT following allegations of an unspecified sexual crime, according to an announcement from his label on Wednesday.
SM Entertainment, Taeil’s agency, confirmed in a statement that the 30-year-old singer, whose legal name is Moon Tae-il, will no longer be part of the boy band. The statement cited his involvement in a “criminal case related to a sexual crime” as the reason for his departure, though it did not detail the specific nature of the allegations. The label emphasized that it recognized the gravity of the situation and determined that Taeil could not continue his activities with the group.
Taeil has yet to publicly address the accusations. SM Entertainment also noted that he is cooperating fully with the ongoing police investigation, and promised to release more information as the inquiry progresses.
The Bangbae Police Station in Seoul has confirmed that it is investigating Taeil in connection with the sexual crime allegations.
Taeil was an active member of NCT, or Neo Culture Technology, a prominent South Korean boy band that debuted in 2016. The group, known for its global popularity, includes over two dozen members divided into subunits such as NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT Wish. Taeil was recently involved with NCT 127.
In August of the previous year, Taeil was involved in a motorcycle accident in downtown Seoul, which led to a temporary suspension of his activities for treatment and recovery.
NCT is recognized for its experimental music across various genres and has achieved international success, with some of its releases making Billboard charts. K-pop, a genre originating from South Korea, blends pop, R&B, and hip-hop and has become a global phenomenon, especially following the success of BTS in the late 2010s.
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